This blog will serve as a diary covering the construction of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ football stadium in Port Elizabeth/Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa as well as looking at progress on the other 2010 stadiums.

28 February 2009

21 February 2009

Work at the stadium is reaching its final stages. This week another three or four girders were lifted, while the installation of the PTFE membrane and aluminium cladding is continuing apace. But it is around the stadium that much of the action is occurring. One side of Fettes Road in the south has been closed, while the fence along Milner Avenue in the north has been moved out to facilitate major earthworks and landscaping. A row of columns for the covered entrance, between the stadium and North End lake, has gone up, while a temporary ablution facility and numerous container offices have been demolished/removed. All in all then, with the pitch laid and most of the seating installed and the interior finishing touches nearing completion, things are looking good indeed.

The four corners

The north-west corner, where the first girder was lifted on October 31, last year. Note how the perimeter fence has been moved outwards to facilitate earthworks and landscaping.

The south-east corner, where the last dozen or so girders still need to be lifted. Fettes Road is being widened.

The south-west corner. The trusses have come around here in the past few weeks, while this week, work started on this section of the road.

The north-east corner. Here, cladding is continuing steadily.

Another view of the north-east corner. Note the earthworks and the jig, back where it was a few months ago, before they moved the process to the other side of the building.

With foreground palms and other trees, the beauty of the stadium's surroundings is clear in the north-east corner.

A girder is prepared on the south-east corner, where the last dozen or so need to be lifted.

Two mock-ups of the PFTE membrane (left) and perforated aluminium cladding can be seen in the foreground.

In the south-west corner, offices and other temporary buildings have been removed, while the giant Kobelco crane waits to lift the next girder.

Brick paving seems to be planned for the area around the stadium, which is being levelled here on the northern side.

Another view of the landscaping on the north-eastern side.

Seen from the north, the first row of columns for the covered entrance bridge is taking shape, while on the left cladding continues.

The columns at the entrance, seen from the south-west.

Excavation for a new road on the north-western corner.

Another view of the new excavations.

In the north-west, they have started installing the PTFE membrane before completing the cladding installation, a new development.

Men at work - very high up! - installing the PTFE membrane.

Very close to the end product on the north-east corner. We are not quite sure whether the white strips visible at the bottom of each module will be taken all the way up, or how the gaps visible between the cladding and membrane will be closed. Only time will tell. Artists' impressions also seem to indicate that the concrete will be painted white.

12 February 2009

The big lift is currently underway. With the compression ring complete and all cast elements in place, the roof is the last major project. The first real part of roof construction is the big lift. 72 cables attached to the inner tension ring are tightened simultaneously, lifting the tension ring off the ground. Here follow some pictures.

Source: Cape Town municipal website

Moses Mabhida Stadium

What, with the arch and cast elements complete, the next major hurdle for this stadium is also the roof. The roofing cables are being attached to the arch so that the full teflon coated membrane can be in place by round about midyear. Here follow some pictures.

Source: Dysan1 and ToxicBunny

Soccer City

The roof element which spans the circumference of the stadium is complete. Onto this horizontal girders are being attached, forming the cantilever overhang of the roof. These are now also nearly right the way round. The seating in the upper tiers is complete, with the last section of the lower tier still to be fitted with seats. The calabash facade is also taking shape.

Source: Mo Rush and Ranma Saotome

Mbombela StadiumThe stadium of problems. Currently a strike. Previously a collapsing crane. Yet it is 72.5% complete and on track to meet the deadline. The giraffes have now all been cast, and are ready for their roofing to be attached.

Source: Tadpolefarm

Peter Mokaba Stadium

At 80% complete, this guy is one of the front runners. It will be one of the first new stadia to be finished. It has become an imposing structure, and will be a beaut when complete.

Confederations Cup Stadia

Other than a few cosmetic touches - seat changes, pitch relaying - these stadiums are complete and ready for action. Many of them will be on show in the upcoming Super 14. Watch out for Ellis Park this weekend in the Lions vs Cheetahs match on Friday. Then on Saturday, the Bulls vs Reds match at the newly refurbished Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

11 February 2009

Unfortunately, as some of you may already have noticed, the stadium webcam is currently offline. I am therefore unable to report on liftings as effectively as before. We'll still be doing weekend updates. Meanwhile, I've started a smaller, what would be termed affiliate blog on the South African ADSL industry moving towards 2010. It's main focus is the revolutionary undersea cables laid by a company called Seacom and how they are about to completely overhaul the current ADSL landscape. Please feel free to have a look at it here. It is not yet quite the finished product however. For future reference, the link to this blog will be available under the Associate Sites heading.

08 February 2009

Things are moving along well, with number 22 having been lifted this morning. Otherwise, cladding, PTFE, as well as outside landscaping are becoming the focus as we move in earnest towards the likely April/May completion date.

Arriving at the current 'action-end' of the stadium, one is greeted by an awesome sight. In this case, 22 is ready for lifting, with 23, 24 and 25 nearing the vital stage.

The cantilevered roof provides cover for the majority of the spectators. The finished product can be seen in this picture. Cladding is continuing at a much faster rate, now moving around this corner.

Complete and ready for action.

PTFE in place.

Scaffolding as cladding is attached to more girders.

The beautiful finished product. A somewhat worrisome thing however, maybe not properly seeable in this size picture, is the gaps between PTFE and cladding. One hopes they will be filled in.

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About Me

I am a student doing a BSc degree at Rhodes University.
I created this blog to chart South Africa's progress in its preparations for the greatest show on Earth. This show is now complete so I leave you with possibly the best 2010 preparation diary on the web. Enjoy.